Love slammed through Blayne as her eyes devoured Jay. He looked a bit pale with the shock of her arrival, but he was as gorgeous as ever, and the vision of him before her confirmed everything she ever thought she knew.

He was her one and only true love.

Her everything.

And please, God, let him love her like he promised to.

“What are you doing here?” His voice was raspy, his hands shoving in his pockets then reaching for her only to drop at his sides.

She swallowed hard, trying to clear her mind of any jet lag so she could say the right things to make up for her epic failure the night of the gala. “I couldn’t miss the grand opening.”

Over the past week, she and her da had made amends and made a plan. He was determined to see her and Jamie together. If he’d been important enough to leave Ireland at eighteen and she still loved him, then he was important enough to leave for now. Besides, Noah MacCaffrey did not like the idea of his daughter repeating Jamie’s offense in the name of family.

She could still hear his thick brogue whispering in her ear as he gave her a hug goodbye. “There is no honor in runnin’ away, but there is in chasin’ after yer dream, Blayney.”

Drawing in a shaky breath, she reached for him. “I’m so sorry, Jamie. I was scared about my da, and I had already hurt him before. I thought since there was no guarantee you and I would work a second time, that you wouldn’t leave again, that I had to go.”

“But now you’re back? For what? How long?” Jamie looked caught in a tug-of-war.

“For you and forever.”

His gray eyes flared, and he took her hand. “We can’t keep separating our families from our family.”

At his touch, a swift relief washed over her, she went lightheaded. Grabbing him to steady herself, she nodded. “I agree. I—”

Before she could finish, he placed a finger over her lips. Her initial instinct was to bite it, but that was the old Blayne rising up. Pushing that self down, she waited.

“I proposed an expansion of Astor Enterprises into Ireland. We’re already a global business and it only makes sense when we have family there.”

Surprise rocketed through her. “Expanding? So, you really were coming to get me?”

He held her close. “That was never a question. I can’t lose you again, Bean. You’re it for me. You’ll forever and always be my everything.”

Tears of disbelief, of fear, of complete elation filled her eyes. Every dream she ever had ended with this one man. “But your mom and dad are here. It’s not fair to make you leave. I…” She was prepared to stay and continue to build a life in the States. She’d already built a home here, she just hadn’t let herself believe it.

He pressed a kiss to her lips. “You’re my family, Blayne. My most important family, the one I’ll grow with and raise children with.”

Her heart stuttered at the thought. There was no helping the grin pushing at her cheeks.

“I was an ass ten years ago. I was selfish and underestimated you based on something I had completely wrong all this time. I’m so sorry for hurting you, for wasting so much time. But I have to be selfish again. Because I’m never leaving your side. You are mine as much as I’ve always been yours.”

Wasting time was something she understood all too well. “I’m sorry for turning around and doing the same thing to you. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t see any other way.” An awareness of understanding emerged, ticking up the corners of her lips. “And ten years ago, neither could you. Well, aren’t we a pair?”

“Guys?” Larkin interrupted.

But her friend would have to wait. Blayne was finally home where she belonged. In her town with the only man who truly understood who she really was. Happy ever afters were for believers.

And she believed.

“There’s no more sacrificing between us or our families,” she said.

The kitchen buzzed with the excitement of the grand opening and seeing Blayne, but Jamie seemed to only have eyes for her. “If you think you’re up to it, we’ll work here for six months out of the year and then in Ireland. You have your store here and this place, but I’m sure you’ll find something to add to the colorful town of Glengarriff. We’ll figure out the exact logistics as we go along, but, Blayne…”

He got down on one knee…

Every hope and dream that she had ever dared to have flashed through her mind. Was this really happening? She’d have her family and the Astor family and Jamie? After everything was said and done, she knew her place was with him and the amazing, loving people of Cape Van Buren. Her family promised to love her no matter where she called home—and to visit often. Emma couldn’t wait.

But now, they’d all get the best of everything.

“I’ve loved you since the day I watched you throw back a whiskey at the Blue Loo…”

Her giggle was thick with emotion as she blinked away tears.

“Guys!” This time Larkin let loose a shriek.

Ryker came barreling through the crowd, almost shoving Jamie on his ass.

She grabbed Jamie, pulling him to his feet as she tried to figure out what was wrong. “What’s happening?”

With Ryker wrapped around her, Larkin panted through her words. “I’m really sorry…whoo, whoo, whoo…and beyond thrilled that you two are working things out…Whoo, whoo—”

“Larkin!” This time it was Ryker’s deep bellow that echoed through the room.

“The baby is commmmmminggggg!” The last word ended on an awful scream that made Blayne swear for the second time in her life that she was never getting pregnant.